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Rear brake light/turn signal dead - bulbs good

Started by macdude443, September 24, 2012, 11:17:19 PM

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macdude443

September 24, 2012, 11:17:19 PM
Starting this morning, I have no rear right-hand turn signal, brake light or hazard light.  The running light/tail light filament lights, thus the common ground is fine.  Captspillane lent me a copy of the '81 wiring diagram, but the colors/wiring paths are different on my '82.  The '81 shows separate 2-wire turn signals and marker/stop lights, which I don't understand at all.  It also shows right/left stop light wiring coming together in a junction before the connector behind the driver's side kick-panel, which doesn't appear to be the case on mine.  Does anyone have an image of the '82 TSM showing the bulbs to the connector?
1982 Eagle SX/4
1986 Eagle Wagon

eaglebeek

#1
September 24, 2012, 11:47:12 PM
I know you said the ground is good because the tail light filaments light...but that's not always true. The filaments in the bulb are connected together at one end. If the ground is absent or is a poor connection the electrical current will feed back through the wiring and find a ground somewhere else. I also know this is far-fetched but it has happened to me many times in my experience as a mechanic. Please check the ground...it's one of the easiest checks you can make. :eagle:
1984 Eagle Wagon, 258, auto, 2.73 gears, daily driver
1983 Eagle Limited Wagon, parts; sold
2000 Jeep Cherokee, 4.0, auto
2007 Hyundai Accent, radical downsize from minivan, wife's car and she loves it!

"The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water."--John W. Gardner, in "Excellence: Can We Be Equal and Excellent Too?" (1961)

Air-conditioning is so cool!

macdude443

#2
September 25, 2012, 01:28:51 AM Last Edit: September 25, 2012, 01:31:36 AM by macdude443
Quote from: eaglebeek on September 24, 2012, 11:47:12 PM
I know you said the ground is good because the tail light filaments light...but that's not always true. The filaments in the bulb are connected together at one end. If the ground is absent or is a poor connection the electrical current will feed back through the wiring and find a ground somewhere else. I also know this is far-fetched but it has happened to me many times in my experience as a mechanic. Please check the ground...it's one of the easiest checks you can make. :eagle:

I know I reseated it a few times at the socket.  I assume the other end is at the apparent star ground at the sheet metal screw on the filler neck?
1982 Eagle SX/4
1986 Eagle Wagon

eaglebeek

#3
September 25, 2012, 07:58:57 AM
Quote from: macdude443 on September 25, 2012, 01:28:51 AM
I know I reseated it a few times at the socket.  I assume the other end is at the apparent star ground at the sheet metal screw on the filler neck?
That should be it. The "star" is a #8 or #10 lockwasher under the screw head.
1984 Eagle Wagon, 258, auto, 2.73 gears, daily driver
1983 Eagle Limited Wagon, parts; sold
2000 Jeep Cherokee, 4.0, auto
2007 Hyundai Accent, radical downsize from minivan, wife's car and she loves it!

"The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water."--John W. Gardner, in "Excellence: Can We Be Equal and Excellent Too?" (1961)

Air-conditioning is so cool!

macdude443

#4
October 05, 2012, 07:31:46 PM
Ground is fine.  Both left and right lights appear to share that ground, and since the right works it rules that out.  I cleaned and tightened it anyhow.
1982 Eagle SX/4
1986 Eagle Wagon

macdude443

#5
October 05, 2012, 08:25:12 PM
Found my issue.  On the right side of the steering column, there is a multi-pin connector.  One of the wires had come off it's pin.  Kind of a pain to free the pin, but so far so good.  Will report back if I have light.
1982 Eagle SX/4
1986 Eagle Wagon

macdude443

#6
October 05, 2012, 09:02:37 PM
That solved it.  The connector was also making poor contact, so I cleaned it.  I'd recommend doing this to all the connectors.
1982 Eagle SX/4
1986 Eagle Wagon
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